Bill printing machine



Filed Nov. 1, 1929 4 Sheets-Sheet l April- 24, 1934. I

c. G. KRANZ BILL PRINTING MACHINE Filed Nov. 1. 1929 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 April 24, 1934- c. G. KRANZ 1,955,814

' BILL PRINTING MACHINE Filgd Nom. l. 1929 4- Sheets-Sheet 3 .llllll ZZZ April 24,1934. c. G. KRANZ 1,955,814

BILL PRINTING MACHINE I a j rammed Apr. 24, 1934 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE BILL PRINTING MACHINE Curtis George Kranz, Chicago, IlL, assignor to Addressograph Company, Wilmington, Del., a corporation of Delaware Application November 1, 1929, Serial No. 404,092 20 Claims. (Cl. 101--233) My invention relates to printing machines and has more particular reference to printing machines for printing bills, statements or similar sheets commonly in use by public service companies. Bills of this class are usually comparatively long and narrow and comprise a body or main portion and one or more stubs adapted to be separated on scored or perforated lines, with the body and stubs containing fixed data and varying data such as the names and addresses of the customers.

My invention is particularly applicable for use in connection with addressing machines and the principal object of the invention is to provide a printing machine which will receive the sheets from the addressing mechanism as fast as they are addressed with the variable data and print the fixed or unchanging data in predetermined relation to the addresses previously printed by the addressing mechanism.

A further object of the invention is to automatically prevent the printing operation in the absence of a sheet in printing position.

Other objects of my invention will appear hereinafter.

Referring to the accompanying drawings Fig. 1 is a view in front elevation of a printing mechanism embodying my invention.

Fig. 2 is a view in rear elevation of the structure shown in Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a top plan view of the structure shown in Figs. 1 and 2, the cover portion of the frame being removed to show the parts beneath.

Fig. 4 is a detail vertical section on the line 44 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is an enlarged detail plan section on the line 55 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 6 is a view partly in section and partly in elevation looking in the direction of the arrows on the line 66 of Fig. 1, and

Fig. '7 is a detail sectional view on the line 7-7 of Fig. 1.

The particular structure shown in the drawings and in which my invention is embodied is intended to be positioned at the end of an addressing machine to receive the addressed sheets from the addressing machine and to print the body or fixed data on the sheets in proper relation to the addresses. The guideway 1, Figs. 1 and 4, leads from the addressing mechanism and is positioned to direct the addressed sheets S between the printing cylinders. In the present structure the impression cylinder 2 is mounted on a horizontal shaft 3 suitably journaled in bearings in the frame 4. The impression cylinder carries on its periphery the electrotype 5 or other .type constituting the printing surface. The impression cylinder is the lower cylinder to print the underside of the sheets because the sheets are addressed on their underside by the addressing mechanism.

A vertical shaft 6, mounted in suitable bearings in the frame, is driven by means of the beveled gears 7 and 8 from a horizontally disposed main shaft 9 journaled in the bearing 10 in the frame. The main shaft 9 may be driven from any suitable source of power. In the present instance this shaft extends from the source of power which drives the addressing mechanism so that the parts of the printing mechanism may be properly driven in timed relation to the addressing mechanism. The printing cylinder is positively driven from the vertical shaft 6 by means of the beveled gears 11 and 12 carried by the shaft 6 and the shaft 3 of the printing cylinder.

The platen or pressure cylinder 13 is positioned to rotate on the horizontal axis directly above the printing cylinder and is positively driven by the intermeshing gears 14 and 15, the gear 14 being mounted on the shaft 3 of the printing cylinder and the gear 15 being fastened to the shaft 16 of the platen cylinder. These two gears are of the same size so that the cylinders are rotated in unison at exactly the same speed. The platen cylinder shaft 16, however, is journaled in the arms 17 of a swinging yoke 18 so that the platen cylinder may be bodily swung vertically to and from the impression cylinder. The yoke 18 is pivotally mounted on a shaft 19 in an elongated bearing 20 at the upper side of the frame, the yoke having an extension arm 21 which reaches to the other endof the shaft 19 on the opposite end of the bearing, and an integral bridge 22 extends from the arm 21 to one of the arms 17 of the yoke to provide a very rigid structure having no tendency to spring or yield when operated to apply printing pressure. The elongated bearing for the yoke insures uniform pressure being applied by the platen cylinder throughout the width of the impression surface.

The platen cylinder is normally urged downwardly in printing relation to the impression cylinder by means of a spring 25 which is of sumcient strength to apply the proper printing pressure. This spring is positioned between one of the arms 1'7 of the platen yoke 18 and the head of "a screw 26, Fig. 4, which is mounted in an outstanding lug or boss 27 of the frame. This screw is vertically adjustable in the boss so that the pressure exerted by the spring may be accurately regulated. A stop lug 28 on the frame beneath the yoke arm 17 is adapted to be engaged by the yoke arm to limit the downward movement of the platen cylinder. The stop lug 28- carries a hardened pin, the head 29 of which is accurately machined and which is engaged by the accurately machined head 30 of a screw 31. The screw 31 is adjustable in the yoke arm 17. This forms a very accurate stop means for limiting the downward movement of the platen cylinder and enables the pressure of the platen cylinder on the printing or impression cylinder to be accurately regulated. The movement of the platen cylinder is not sufiicient to disengage the teeth of the driving gears 14 and 15, but it is sufficient to provide enough separation between the cylinders to prevent the platen cylinder from applying pressure to or contacting with the surface of the impression cylinder when there is no sheet present between the cylinders.

After each printing operation the platen cylinder is raised against the action of the spring 25 by means of a cam 32 on the main shaft 9. The yoke arm 17 has a rigid lateral extension 33 carrying a roller 34 which rides on the periphery of the cam 32 and is maintained in contact with said cam by the spring 25. The high spot in this cam is timed so that as soon as a printing impression is completed the cam raises the platen cylinder.

It is not desirable to permit the platen cylinder to contact with the printing surface of the impression cylinder when there is no sheet present between the cylinders for the reason that the platen cylinder surface would receive a printed impression and smear the upper side of subsequent sheets. In order to prevent the lowering of the platen cylinder when no sheet is present I provide a vertical arm 35 having a hardened notched stop lug 36 at its upper end adapted to be swung into and out of its path of movement of a lug 37 on the end of the yoke arm 17. This vertical arm 35 is mounted on the shaft 38 the end 39 of which is turned at right angles and carries a light feeler wheel 40 at its end. This feeler wheel 40 is positioned over the guideway 1 in the path of the sheets moving through the guideway. Whenever there is no sheet present beneath the feeler wheel the wheel drops s ufliciently to swing the arm 35 and position the stop lug 36 under lug 37 and lock the platen cylinder yoke in raised position. When a sheet is present, however, the sheet raises the feeler wheel and swings the lug 36 to the right, Fig. 4, so as not to interfere with the downward movement of the platen cylinder. At its rear end the shaft 38, however, carries an upstanding arm 41, Figs. 2 and 3, having a rollered end which engages a cam member 42 on the shaft 9. The cam member 42 has a high portion 43 which swings the arm 41 and shaft 38 in the direction to remove the stop lug 36 from the path of the yoke. The operation of this cam is so timed that it doesnot release the platen cylinder yoke until after the feeler wheel has performed its function in response to the absence of a sheet, and although the platen cylinder yoke is thus released it is held in its upper position by the lug 36 previously described until the proper time to be lowered for the next printing operation. The cam 42 is provided to positively actuate the locking arm 35 because when the pressure of the yoke is on the stop lug 36, the sheet could not exert sufficient force on the feeler wheel to overcome this pressure. When the sheets follow each other in regular succession with the proper space between them, the feeler wheel drops into this space between the sheets and rises with each succeeding sheet to swing the lug 36 out of the path of the yoke before the yoke is lowered by its own cam 32, hence during the normal succession of sheets the feeler arm performs no work except the swinging of the arm 35. i

A pair of feed rollers 44 and 45 are positioned at the end of the guideway adJacent the cylinders in position to feed the sheet S into printing position between the cylinders. The lower feed roller 45 is mounted on a shaft 46 in the frame and the rear end of this shaft 46 carries a gear 47 which is driven by the idler gear 48 from the gear 14 on the cylinder shaft 3. The feed roller 44 is mounted on the shaft 49 which also has a gear 50 at its rear end which'meshes and is driven by the gear 47. This shaft 49, however, is mounted in a bearing on one arm of a lever 51 which is pivoted at 52 in the frame so that the feed roller 44 may be raised and lowered with respect to the feed roller 45. Lever 51 has a rearward extension 53 carrying a roller54 at its end which rides on the periphery of the cam member 55 on the shaft 9. The cam 55 lowers the feed roller 44 into engagement with the sheet just at the time that the register device releases the sheet for movement in register with the printing cylinder surface. The cam 55 raises the feed roller just sufiiciently to permit the sheet to be fed between the two rollers but not sufiicient to disengage the driving gears'47 and 50.

The registering device consists of a hooked finger 60, Fig. 1, on the end of an arm 61 which is mounted on a rock shaft 62 journaled in the frame. The hooked end is arranged to operate adjacent the end of a short guide chute 63 positioned between the cylinders and the feed rollers. It is positioned so that it will act as a stop against which the end of the sheet strikes and by which the movement of the sheet is delayed until its end is in register with the printing surface of the cylinder. When the cylinders reach the point in their rotation where the sheet is in register the register fingers 60 is raised to release the sheet and permit the feed rollers 44 and 45 to feed the sheet until it is gripped by the pressure between the cylinders. After leaving the printing position between the cylinders the sheet is discharged into a narrow guide 64 and thence between the belts of a carrier 65' which may be of any suitable type for the purpose. The rock shaft 62 which carries the register finger has an upstanding curved arm 65 at the rear of the frame which carries a roller 66 riding on the side face of the cam face 55, Fig. 2. The cam 55 has a high spot 67 which is timed with the rotation of the cylinders to actuate the register finger. The register finger is yieldingly held in the path of the sheet and the cam roller 66 maintained in contact with the cam 55 by means of a spring 68 anchored between the frame and a pin on the arm 65.

The sheets are carried along the guideway 1 and the guide chute 63 into position against the register stop finger by means of the carrier belts 69. These belts travel around pulleys mounted on the same shaft 46 which support the lower feed roller 45, and also around the pulleys 70 at the end of the guideway 1. The sheets are brought to the feed belts 69 from the addressing mechanism by means of the belts 71, Fig. 3, or by suitable means for the purpose.

The printing cylinder is inked by inking mechanism supported in a sub-frame A positioned beneath the printing cylinder. This sub-frame comprises in general open side members connected by suitable cross member's 76. At one side this frame is pivotally connected to the main frame so that the sub-frame can be swung toward and from the printing cylinder. The pivot pin 77, Fig. 1, is eccentrically mounted to provide an adjustment of the sub-frame for accurately positioning the inking rollers. The opposite corner of the sub-frame is pivotally suspended on the link 78 which extends upwardly and is pivotally connected to a bellcrank '19 mounted on the upper portion of the main frame. The rotation of the bellcrank raises and lowers the sub-frame as indicated by the dotted lines in Fig. 1. This bellcrank is operated by a control rod 80 extending to a convenient position for the operator. The bellcrank has an adjustable stop lug 81 which engages a fixed lug 82 on the frame. By means of this adjustment the sub-frame may also be accurately adjusted with respect to the printing cylinder.

The sub-frame carries two inking rollers 85 which are mounted on the shafts 86 journaled in the side members of the sub-frame. The inking rollers are moved into and out of direct contact with the cylinder surface by the movement of the sub-frame. These rollers are keyed to rotate with the shafts 86 and there is sufficient space at the ends of these inking rollers so that they may shift longitudinally of the shafts for the purpose of better distributing ink on the cylinder printing surface. The shafts 86 have gears 86 which mesh with and are driven by the large gear on the printing cylinder shaft.

Beneath the inking rollers is a pairof ink distributing rollers 8'7 and 88. These distributing rollers have shafts 89 which are journaled in the arms of yokes 90 and 91. The yokes are pivotally mounted at 92 in the sub-frame so that the distributing rollers may be swung vertically into and out of contact with the inking rollers. The yokes are yieldingly urged upwardly to maintain the distributing rollers in contact with the inking rollers by means of springs positioned between the sub-frame member and lugs on the yokes.

It is desirable that the rollers be separated from contact with the cylinder and from contact with each other when they are not in operation to prevent the ink drying and sticking the rollers together, and to prevent streaks and smearing of the ink when the machine is again startedv in operation. The inking rollers, as before menthe machine has a fixed stop arm 93 which extends through an opening in the sub-frame in position to engage a stop lug 94 on the yoke 90, the stop lug 94 having an adjustable screw to regulate the extent of movement. The downward movement of the sub-frame causes the stop lug 94 to strike the fixed stop arm 93 and swing the yoke 90 about its pivot to separate its distributing roller from the corresponding inking roller. The swinging movement of the yoke 90 is communicated to yoke 91 by the arm 96 which bears upon the end of a corresponding arm 97 on the yoke 91 to swing said yoke 91 downwardly. In the event that the operator desires to lower the distributing rollers while the machine is running there is provided a rock shaft 97, Fig. 1, in the sub-frame having a handle 98 by which it may be operated. This rock shaft carries a short arm 99 which engages the arm 96 and operates to swing the yokes 90 and 91 downwardly.

An ink fountain in the form of a removable receptacle 100 is positioned in the extreme lower portion of the sub-frame, and a fountain roller 101 is mounted on a shaft 102 which is journaled in bearings in the sub-frame so that the roller is partly immersed in the ink contained in the receptacle. The fountain roller is positioned below the ink-distributing rollers. The ink is carried from this fountain roller to the distributing rollers by means of a transfer roller 103 which is adapted to be oscillated between said rollers. For this purpose it is supported in the arms of a yoke 104 which is pivoted at 105 in the sub-frame. The yoke is yieldingly urged upwardly in contact with the distributing rollers by means of the spring 106 positioned between the sub-frame and the yoke. The yoke 91 has a downwardly extending adjustable stop screw 107 which is engaged by the transfer roller yoke 104 and serves as an upward limit stop to regulate the degree of contact pressure of the transfer roller on the distributing 1 rollers. This stop also serves to swing the transfer roller yoke downwardly when the distributing rollers are swung downwardly thereby separating the transfer roller from contact with the distributing rollers. 1

The transfer roller is periodically oscillated by means of a face cam 110 mounted on the lower end of the vertical shaft 6. This cam has a high spot 111 which actuates a bell-crank lever 1.12 Figs. 5 and 6, the hub of which is pivoted on the 1 shaft 102 of the fountain roller. The upper arm of this bell-crank has a roller 113 which rides on the cam 110, and the lower arm has a yielding spring link connection 114 with the transfer roller yoke 104. Thus when the bell- 115 crank is operated by the earn 110 it swings the transfer roller downwardly into contact with the fountain roller and then upwardly into contact with both distributing rollers. The lower arm of the bellcrank 112 also carries a pivoted pawl 115,. 1 Fig. 1, which engages a ratchet wheel 116 on the fountain roller shaft 102, and as the bellcrankoscillates it rotates the fountain roller step by step to bring fresh ink upon the upper side of the fountain roller. 1 The distributing rollers are given a positive endwise oscillating movement for the purpose of better: distributing the ink on the inking rollers. The shafts 89, Figs. 2 and 5, of the distributing rollers are journaled in bearings in the side 13 members of the sub-frame and have consider able endwise play in these bearings. The rear ends of these shafts have spaced collars 120 between which are mounted pivot forks 121. The

forks are pivotally mounted in a rocker frame 135 122 which is pivoted at 123 on a portion of the frame. The rocker frame has short rearwardly extending arms 124 which carry rollers 125 at their ends. These rollers are engaged by an eccentric cam 126 mounted on the upright shaft 1 6.. Thus when the shaft 6 is rotating the cam rocks the rocker frame 122 and shifts the distributing roller shafts alternately endwise. The oscillation of the distributing rollers, when in contact with the inking rollers, exerts sufficient 1 frictional drag on the friction member to oscillate said inking rollers endwise on their shafts as previously mentioned. The impression cylinder 2, Fig. '7, comprises a drum 127 which has an annular beveled shoulder 128 at its inner end. 1

A cap 129 is loosely mounted on the shaft 3 and it is also provided with an annular beveled shoulder 130." The shoulders 128 and 130 project beyond the periphery of the drum and a split steel ring 131 is mounted on the drum and has beveled edges which engage the beveled shoulders on the drum- The drum has a pin 132 and the ring has a slot 133 to engage the pin for centering the ring on the drum. The eleetrotype 5 is fastened to the ring and the cap is caused to clamp the ring on the drum by a nut 134 on the shaft 3 which engages the cap. This provides a simple and convenient means for securing the electrotype rigidly in place on the drum and for replacing the electrotype whenever desired. The platen or pressure cylinder 13 is provided with a cushion blanket pad 135, Fig. l. which is conveniently made of rubber and this blanket is fastened at one end 136 fixedly to the cylinder. The other end of the blanket is provided with an elongated rack bar 137 which is engaged by an elongated pinion 138 on a shaft 139 which carries a ratchet 140 engaged by the spring pawl 141. The rack 137 is held in engagement with the pinion by a block 137 on the drum and the construction is such that when a tool is applied to the shaft 139 for turning it the pinion moves the rack bar and stretches the blanket on the drum. This provides a simple and convenient means for maintaining the blanket pad smoothly and evenly at all times so that the cylinder will efficiently perform its operation as a platen cylinder. Sometimes the machine may be stopped with the blanket fastening means at the bottom of the cylinder and, to enable the cylinder to be easily turned to bring the blanket fastening means uppermost, I lock the cylinder 13 to the shaft 16 by means of a dog 142 which is mounted on the hub of the cylinder and engages a recess in the collar 143 fixed to the shaft. The dog can be operated manually to release the cylinder from the shaft so that it can be turned to any position desired for adjusting or replacing the blanket.

I am aware that changes may be made in the construction, operation and arrangement of parts without departing from the spirit of the invention and I hereby reserve the right to make such changes as fairly fall within the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In a printing machine, the combination of printing and platen means, means urging said printing and platen means into printing relation to print on a sheet fed therebetween, means intermittently operating said printing and platen means. stop means for preventing movement of said printing and platen means into printing relation and including detecting means engageable with the sheet and a stop member controlled by said detecting means, and means moving said stop member into an inoperative position prior to the operation of said detecting means.

2. In a printing machine, the combination of rotary printing and platen cylinders, means for relatively moving said cylinders into and out of. printing relation, means successively feeding sheets to said cylinders in timed relation with the movement thereof into and out of printing relation, means for preventing movement of said cylinders into printing relation and including a member movable into stopping position, detecting means controlling the movement of said member, and means for moving said member from stopping position subsequent to the operation of said detecting means on one sheet and prior to operation thereof on the succeeding sheet.

3. In a printing machine, the combination of a printing cylinder, a platen cylinder, a movable support for the platen cylinder, means acting on the support for moving the platen cylinder into printing relation to the printing cylinder, means for actuating the support to move the platen cylinder away from the printing cylinder after each printing operation, means for successively feeding sheets between said cylinders, stop means responsive to the absence of a sheet for preventing the movement of the platen cylinder into printing relation to the printing cylinder, and means for moving said stop into an inoperative position for the succeeding printing operation.

4. In a printing machine, the combination of a printing cylinder, a platen cylinder, a pivoted yoke member supporting said platen cylinder for movement to and from printing relation with the printing cylinder, means for successively feeding sheets between said cylinders, a control device in the path of the sheets including a stop, a shoulder engageable with said stop to prevent movement of the yoke member when a sheet is absent, and means operating in timed relation to the rotation of the cylinders for removing the stop for the succeeding printing operation.

5. In a printing machine of the class described, the combination of a main drive shaft, an impression cylinder and a. platen cylinder, means for synchronically operating said cylinders from said drive shaft, means on the drive shaft for effecting intermittent movement of the platen cylinder into printing relation to the impression cylinder, a pair of normally separated feed rollers adjacent the cylinders and operable in timed relation with the operation of said cylinders, and means on the drive shaft and operating in timed relation to the movement of the platen cylinder for moving the feed rolls relatively together to grip the sheet and feed it between said cylinders.

6. In a printing machine of the class described, the combination of a main drive shaft, an impression cylinder and a platen cylinder, means for synchronically operating said cylinders from said drive shaft, means on the drive shaft for effecting intermittent movement of the platen cylinder into printing relation to the impression cylinder, 2. pair of normally separated feed rollers adjacent the cylinders, means on the drive shaft and operating in timed relation to the movement of the platen cylinder for moving the feed rolls relatively together to grip the sheet and feed it between said cylinders, means for presenting the sheets between said feed rollers, and means on the drive shaft and operating in advance of the feeding operation of said rollers for registering the sheet with the movement of said cylinders.

7. In a printing machine, the combination of a main frame, a shaft journaled in said main frame, a printing cylinder on said shaft, a yoke pivotally mounted on said main frame, a shaft carried by said yoke, a platen cylinder on said last-named shaft, means for rotating said cylinders, a spring extending between said main frame and said yoke for urging said platen cylinder into printing relation with said printing cylinder, and a cam cooperating with said yoke for moving said platen cylinder from printing relation with said printing cylinder against the action of said spring.

8. In a printing machine, a main frame, a

shaft journaled in said main frame, a printing cylinder mounted on said shaft, a yoke pivotally mounted on said main frame and including substantially parallel arms having a shaft extending therebetween, a platen cylinder mounted on said last-named. shaft, means reenforcing said yoke to insure uniform pressure application by said platen cylinder, means acting on said yoke and urging said platen cylinder toward said printing cylinder, and means holding said platen cylinder out of printing relation with said printing cylinder.

9. In a printing machine, a main frame, a shaft journaled in said main frame, a cylinder on said shaft, a gear on said shaft, a yoke pivotally mounted on said main frame and including substantially parallel arms having a shaft extending therebetween, a cylinder mounted on the shaft carried by said arms, a gear on said shaft carried by said arms and meshed with the firstnar'ned gear and of a size equal thereto whereby said shafts will be synchronically operated when movement is imparted to said gears, means reenforcing said yoke whereby the cylinder carried thereby will be maintained in definite relation to the first cylinder, means acting on said yoke for urging the cylindercarried thereby toward the first cylinder, and means for moving said yoke to move the cylinder carried thereby away from said first-named cylinder.

10. In a printing machine, a main frame, a main drive shaft, a supporting shaft journaled in said main frame, a power transmitting shaft,

,means connecting said power transmitting shaft to said drive shaft and said supporting shaft, a gear on said supporting shaft, a cylinder on said supporting shaft, a yoke pivotally mounted on said main frame and including parallel arms having a stub shaft extending therebetween, a gear on said stub shaft and meshed with the gear on said supporting shaft and of a size equal thereto, a cylinder on said stub shaft, and means for moving said yoke whereby the cylinder carried on said stub shaft will be moved relative to the cylinder carried by said supporting shaft, said means moving said yoke without disengaging the gears on said stub and said supporting shafts whereby said shafts will be synchronically rotated so long as said main drive shaft is operated.

11. In a printing machine, a main drive shaft, a printing cylinder, a platen cylinder, means for synchronically operating said cylinders from said main drive shaft, means urging said cylinders into printing relation, and a cam on said main drive shaft for moving said cylinders from printing relation with each other.

12. In a printing machine, a main drive shaft, a printing cylinder, a platen cylinder, means for synchronically operating said cylinders from said main drive shaft, means urging said cylinders into printing relation, a cam on said main drive shaft for moving said cylinders from printing relation with each other, and another cam on said main drive shaft in juxtaposition to the first cam for controlling the passage of sheets into printing position between said cylinders.

13. In a printing machine, a main frame, a cylinder mounted in said main frame, a yoke pivotally mounted in said main frame and including substantially parallel arms having a cylinder mounted therebetween adapted for cooperation with the first-named cylinder, one of said yoke arms having a shoulder thereon, means acting on said yoke to urge the cylinder carried thereby into printing relation with the cylinder in said main frame, an arm having a stop thereon engageable with said shoulder to hold said yoke against movement to prevent the cylinder carried by the yoke moving into printing relation with the other cylinder, a pivotal shaft carrying said arm and having a roller thereon engageable with sheets to be fed between said cylinders whereby when said roller engages a sheet said arm will be moved to retract the stop to prevent engagement thereof with said shoulder, and means including a cam for moving said yoke to move the cylinder carried thereby from printing relation with the other cylinder when said cylinders are moved into printing relation by said urging means after said stop has been retracted.

14. In a printing machine, a main frame, a cylinder mounted in said main frame, a yoke pivotally mounted in said main frame and including substantially parallel arms having a cylinder mounted therebetween adapted for cooperation with the first-named cylinder, one of said yoke arms having a shoulder thereon, means acting on said yoke to urge the cylinder carried thereby into printing relation with the cylinder in said main frame, an arm having a stop thereon engageable with said shoulder to hold said yoke against movement to prevent the cylinder carried by the yoke moving into printing relation with the other cylinder, a pivotal shaft carrying said arm and having a roller thereon engageable with 105 sheets to be fed between said cylinders whereby when said roller engages a sheet said arm will be moved to retract the stop to prevent engagement thereof with said shoulder, means including a cam for moving said yoke to move the cylinder carried thereby from printing relation with the other cylinder when said cylinders are moved into printing relation by said urging means after said stop has been retracted, and means cooperating with said cam for moving said arm to position 115 said stop in a retracted position for the succeeding printing operation of said machine.

15. In a printing machine, a frame, a printing cylinder and a platen cylinder, a shaft journaled in said frame and carrying one of said cylinders, 120 a yoke journaled in said frame, a shaft journaled in said yoke and having the other cylinder mounted thereon, means reenforcing said yoke, means acting on said yoke to effect operative engagement of said cylinders, and means connecting said cylinders for synchronic movement.

16. In a printing machine, a frame, a printing cylinder and a platen cylinder, a shaft journaled in said frame and carrying one of said cylinders, a yoke, a shaft journaled in said yoke and having the other cylinder mounted thereon, a bearing for said yoke of greater length than the shaft journaled in said yoke, means reenforcing said yoke to insure uniform engagement of said cylinders with each other, and means acting on said 135 yoke to effect operative engagement of said cylinders.

17. In a printing machine, a frame, a printing cylinder and a platen cylinder, a shaft journaled in said frame and carrying one of said cylinders, 140 a yoke journaled in said frame, a shaft journaled in said yoke and having the other cylinder mounted thereon, means reenforcing said yoke, yieldable means acting on said yoke to urge said cylinders into operative engagement, means acting 145 against said urging means and operating to effect intermittent operative engagement of said cylinders, and means connecting said cylinders for synchronic movement.

18. In a printing machine, a frame, a printing 150 cylinder and a platen cylinder, a shaft journaled in said frame and carrying one of said cylinders, a yoke journaled in said frame, a shaft journaled in said'yoke and having the other cylinder mounted thereon, means interconnecting said cylinders for synchronic movement, a drive shaft, means connecting the shaft journaled in the frame to said drive shaft to receive movement therefrom to effect rotation of said cylinders, and means cooperating with said yoke and controlling engagement of said cylinders.

19. In a printing machine, a frame, a printing cylinder and a platen cylinder, a shaft journaled in said frame and carrying one of said cylinders, a yoke journaled in said frame, a shaft journaled in said yoke and having the other cylinder mounted thereon, means interconnecting said cylinders for synchronic movement, a drive shaft, an intermediate shaft journaled in said frame, means connecting said intermediate shaft to said drive shaft, and means connecting the shaft journaled in said frame to said intermediate shaft whereby movement is transmitted from said drive shaft through said intermediate shaft to said cylinders to efiect operation thereof, and means cooperating with said yoke and controlling engagement of said cylinders.

20. In a printing machine, a frame, a printing cylinder and a platen cylinder, a shaft journaled in said frame and carrying one of said cylinders, a yoke Journaled in said frame and movable relative thereto, a shaft journaled in said yoke and having the other cylinder mounted thereon, means acting on said yoke to effect operative engagement of said cylinders, gears respectively mounted on said shafts and meshed with each other and adapted to be rotated to operate said cylinders synchronically, and means for moving said yoke to separate said cylinders without disengaging said gears to thereby maintain the synchronic relation between said cylinders.

CURTIS GEORGE KRANZ. 

